Dr. Dave Shideler’s research seeks to address the many challenges facing rural America in the 21st Century: aging populations, resource depletion, globalization and climate change, to name a few. While each of these issues pose unique problems, they are not mutually exclusive phenomenon; what affects one issue might also affect others, or at least the impact on the first issue might reverberate to create or exaggerate others.

This interconnectedness of rural communities necessitates a systematic approach of analysis to understand and address these issues. Such interconnectedness is the cause of many unintended consequences of rural economic development (e.g., environmental degradation caused by a job-creating manufacturing operation). Specifically, Dr. Shideler has conducted policy analysis focused on various economic development strategies including entrepreneurship, use of incentives and infrastructure investments; lifecycle analysis of biofuel generation; valuation of environmental degradation; and economic impact analysis of various amenities. He is also engaged in assessing the contribution of local food systems to economic development efforts.

Through the NSF EPSCoR research project, Dr. Shideler's will use his expertise to address the economic issues surrounding climate variability in Oklahoma.

Pictured above/right: Dr. Dave Shideler facilitates a Stronger Economies Together town meeting in Wilburton, Oklahoma on April 22, 2013.

This material is based on work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. OIA-1301789. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation or Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education.